There are a variety of cushion fillings commonplace for Chesterfield sofas, including foam, polyester fibres, and feathers. The filling is a key part of the piece, as it provides the bulk of the comfort and support for the person sitting.
What to look for in a good-quality Chesterfield
One of the most common cushion fillings is foam, with good-quality Chesterfields making ample use for maximum comfort. The padding over the frame should be a combination of different foam densities, which provide a soft outer feel while ensuring that the frame will never be detectable when sitting. The foam padding composite should be fixed in place on the frame by hand to keep it as secure as possible.
The use of other fillings like feathers and polyester fibres should be substantial, with more than enough volume to make the sitting experience pleasingly comfortable. Feathers and fibres are often used together or with foam to build up high-quality hybrid cushioning.
What to watch out for in a poor-quality Chesterfield
Paying less for your Chesterfield sofa means you can expect there to be less materials used in the build of your furniture. The foam used for the padding is typically of the minimum density sufficient to provide an initially acceptable feel. However, over time it will be possible to begin to feel the frame through the flattening foam fillings, which makes for a very uncomfortable piece of furniture.
In addition to less cushioning being used, the filling is usually of an inferior quality. Using foams as an example, the cheaper materials on the market will lose their ability to return to their original shape more quickly than high-end foams. This also plays a big part in the loss of comfort in a cheap Chesterfield sofa.
Together with the cushion filling, the quality of the suspension in your sofa is one of the factors that will determine how comfortable your piece will be and for how long it will remain that way. There are a variety of suspension systems that are used in Chesterfield sofas, including coiled spring units, high-grade Elastobelt webbing, and serpentine springs.
